SOS CENTER OFFERS FREE PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS
Helping children learn better and become the shining stars they are meant to be is a personal and a professional mission for Lydia Beasley. As treasurer for the SOS Center after-school program located at 4620 W. North Ave., Beasley has spent more than a dozen years closely involved with the center. Originally a volunteer SOS board member, the professional accountant by trade wants nothing more than to make a difference in the lives of children.
“Prior to COVID, our kids were suffering for lack of better education,” Beasley said. “With COVID, things became even worse. Children need help outside of school more than ever.”
The center is a program of the Southeastern Wisconsin District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) and has a spiritual base. Its goals are to improve educational outcomes for the children it serves, enhance their social skills and establish positive relationships between children and adults in the community through mentoring. Center volunteers provide homework assistance in math and reading, devotional guidance and instruction, and lots of compassionate attention for local young people.
Beasley holds one of the center’s two paid positions. Tiffany Phillips is program director. Volunteers provide leadership for the center and also serve as homework coaches, art and sewing instructors, and life skills mentors.
“Our focus is on the children,” Beasley said. “They come from school and rest, have a snack, devotional time, and then they get help with their homework. After they finish their homework and it’s checked, they can help another child or do other activities.”
Non-academic social activities include creating artwork, sewing, playing games and participating in service projects, including planting and tending a summer garden. During the school year, structured programming is provided after school for children in first through eighth grades. Children ages 13 to 18 get together at the center on Saturdays for activities that include learning interactive leadership skills, sewing, creative projects and playing chess.
The teens even created their own board of directors to made decisions about their time at the center together.
“We know they are learning specific skills, but we don’t have to point it out,” Beasley said. “They’ve learned how to do math like a treasurer, and they have even outvoted me once or twice.”
Sewing has proved popular with children in both age groups and is also offered to adults for a small free. The donated materials, supplies and instruction are free for children. Ten sewing machines were purchased with help from grants.
In the summer, the center holds five weeks of bible classes in which the curriculum and instruction is coordinated with local Lutheran Church Missouri Synod churches.
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The SOS Center is always looking for volunteers, especially mentors, who can commit to being there for the children throughout the school year and/or the summer. Homework volunteers are especially needed from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday during the school year. Mentors are needed two days a week, and some mentoring can be done virtually. When possible, mentors and children’s interests are matched.
Adults who are interested in being volunteers or mentors can contact Beasley at 414-449-9964.
“We find ways to get children excited about doing their homework and wanting to help others,” Beasley said. “We’ve found that when kids are not into school, you can talk with them about their life and career goals and help them apply the skill sets they are going to need later on.”
The SOS has no school, geographical residency or church-related requirements. Participation is free for children and volunteers. Parents who would like their children to use the center must complete an application and talk with SOS representatives.
Beasley has one consistent message for area parents whose children can benefit from a community- and church-based educational support system.
“Include your child in a program that can help them,” she said. “What children are going through right now is not getting better, and it affects everybody in the community when the kids are not learning. We help them so they won’t be a part of a negative situation, so they won’t follow others into trouble and can become the leaders they can be.”
For information about the SOS Center, go to the website at soscenterinc.org or call 414-449-9964.